Propel@YH’s Demo Day for participants next Wednesday 31 March

March 26, 2021 | by

Propel@YH, the Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network (Yorkshire & Humber AHSN) program organized to support digital health companies, will have a virtual Demo Day this coming Wednesday 31 March. The 2020-2021 cohort presenting could be called the ‘COVID Class’, as the program starting last October was focused on supporting the healthcare sector during the ongoing pandemic.  

Here are the finalists presenting on Wednesday:

  • Co-Opts ltd; a smart speaker for automated recording, transcription and summarisation of therapy sessions
  • CyberLiver Ltd; remote monitoring of at-risk cirrhosis patients using wearables and an app
  • I.M.M.E; a VR experience created to support Williams syndrome, supporting isolation, rehab mobility and mental health
  • Liria Digital Health; a technological solution addressing the health and wellbeing of perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal people.
  • My Food 24; an online food diary system which automates the diet tracking and analysis process
  • SeeAI; a platform that supports early fracture diagnosis through x-ray images
  • Ufonia Ltd; an AI-enabled accessible clinical assistant called Dora that can conduct an intelligent clinical conversation via a regular voice telephone call
  • Vastmindz; an AI face analysis app to measure real-time heart and respiration rates, oxygen saturation, stress level, blood pressure and atrial fibrillation risk
  • Warner Patch; a non-invasive, wearable wireless (using 2G network) sensor that predicts tissue health disease evolution using AI for clinicians to give preventive care, improve patient outcome and save care costs
  • Written Medicine; a pharmacy label and discharge summary translation system, that works across 11 different languages

The 15 AHSNs like Yorkshire & Humber function as innovation arms of the NHS and act as a bridge between health care providers, commissioners, academia, and industry. Joining the AHSN are the University of Leeds’ innovation hub, Nexus (academic and SME support); Barclays Eagle Labs (incubator network); law firm Hill Dickinson LLP; and Leeds City Council.

Register for the presentation via Eventbrite here. (Time 0900-1130 GMT)  Hat tip to Ellis Noble of KC Communications

Propel@YH digital health accelerator announces 2020 cohort of 10 companies

October 23, 2020 | by

Propel@YH, commissioned by the Yorkshire & Humber AHSN (Academic Health Science Networks) digital health accelerator, last week announced its 10-company 2020 cohort, to start on 26 October. They are:

  • Co-Opts ltd; a smart speaker for automated recording, transcription and summarisation of therapy sessions
  • CyberLiver Ltd; remote monitoring of at-risk cirrhosis patients using wearables and an app
  • I.M.M.E; a VR experience created to support Williams syndrome, supporting isolation, rehab mobility and mental health
  • Liria Digital Health; a technological solution addressing the health and wellbeing of perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal people
  • My Food 24; an online food diary system which automates the diet tracking and analysis process
  • SeeAI; a platform that supports early fracture diagnosis through x-ray images 
  • Ufonia Ltd; an AI-enabled accessible clinical assistant called Dora that can conduct an intelligent clinical conversation via a regular voice telephone call
  • Vastmindz; an AI face analysis app to measure real-time heart and respiration rates, oxygen saturation, stress level, blood pressure and atrial fibrillation risk
  • Warner Patch; a non-invasive, wearable wireless (using 2G network) sensor that predicts tissue health disease evolution using AI for clinicians to give preventive care, improve patient outcome and save care costs
  • Written Medicine; a pharmacy label and discharge summary translation system, that works across 11 different languages

Propel@YH is designed to attract international digital health companies to the Yorkshire/Leeds area. The AHSN is one of 15 innovation centers acting as the innovation arm of NHS England. Partners in the program include Nexus (University of Leeds’ academic research and tech development community), Barclays Eagle Labs (business incubation/networking/investment), Hill Dickinson (legal and strategic advice), and Leeds City Council. 

Neville Young, Director of Enterprise and Innovation for the Yorkshire & Humber AHSN, said: “This is the second time we’ve been able to offer this great opportunity for innovative digital and data-driven health companies and we were truly blown away by the innovation and talent presented by this year’s shortlist. Our panel had a tough choice choosing our finalists from this year’s entries but we think the mix of businesses and applications we will be working with this year really will play a part in supporting the NHS and healthcare providers throughout the pandemic and the ‘new normal’ ways of working.”  YHAHSN press release

Propel@YH digital health accelerator open now for applications to 24 September (UK)

August 12, 2020 | by

The Yorkshire & Humber AHSN (Academic Health Science Networks) returns for a second year with Propel@YH, their regional digital health accelerator program.

We will cut to the chase and the key dates: 

Applications Open – Thursday 6th Aug 09:00
Webinar – 2nd September 13:00 GMT
Applications Close – Thursday 24th September 23:59
Assessment Starts – Monday 28th September
Assessment day – Friday 9th October
Cohort Launch – Friday 16th October
Programme commences – Monday 26th October

While Propel is regional, the program’s objective is to attract global applicants who are interested in solutions for the Yorkshire & Humber area. Backing it is the University of Leeds and the Leeds City Council. The accelerator will provide advisory, guidance, and supportive services, enabling digital health solutions to accelerate their growth and market presence in the longer term. An example is masterclasses on how to build clinical safety cases, develop evidence-based proposals, and understanding procurement in the NHS.

What companies accepted for the 2020 cohort will engage with:

  • How the NHS works – an introduction to the health system in England
  • Clinical safety by design – how to design in clinical safety throughout the digital development process
  • Making the grade – how to develop your digital product to meet the requirements of the NHS Digital Tools library
  • Digital by design – how to implement a human-centred design approach to developing digital products and services
  • NASSS Framework assessment clinic
  • Building the evidence base – how to develop a benefits realisation case and generate evidence that really counts
  • Understanding procurement in the NHS – find out from the experts about how procurement works in the NHS
  • Cohort-defined learning clinics

For more information on the program, content providers, partners, and applying–start here. Download application here. 

Propel@YH opens again for 2020 accelerator candidates

February 12, 2020 | by

Yorkshire & Humber AHSN (Academic Health Science Network) today opened applications for the second year of its Propel@YH digital health accelerator. The accelerator is aimed at helping digital health innovators of startup and scale-up size navigate the NHS in the Yorkshire and Humber region and who are already there or are willing to establish an operation there.

10 companies will have access to expert partners such as NHS providers, commissioners and academic institutions. The program this year is being supported by the University of Leeds’ innovation hub, Nexus; Barclays Eagle Labs national incubator network, leading health law firm Hill Dickinson, and Leeds City Council.

Last year, their six finalists were DigiBete, Healthcare Engineering, HeteroGenius, Medicsen, Medicspot and Scaled Insights. 

But hurry–applications close on 12th March. Release, Propel@YH website, application

Global news roundup: Italy’s digital health summer school, GSK Impact Awards, Propel@YH for Yorkshire & Humber digital health, Aging 2.0 engages seniors

May 23, 2019 | by

Smart Homes for Healthy Ageing, 24-27th June 2019, Artimino, Florence (Italy) might be just the thing as an learning adjunct to enhance your summer holiday. The four-day conference concentrates on supporting people living with dementia (PLwD). It is designed for early career researchers and delegates who are focusing on the research and development of smart homes and health services for PLwD. Registration deadline is 31 May. 2.5 ECTS equivalency and conducted in English. See the attached PDF for session information and the website for more detail on the conference. Hat tip to Cristiano Paggetti of the Medea Project via Editor Steve.

The King’s Fund, which is having its Digital Health and Care Congress as your Editor is writing this, announced on 16 May the outcome of one of its projects: the GSK IMPACT Awards to ten charities which have improved health and wellbeing. Each company receives a £30,000 donation, two places on a free training and development program, and an invitation to join the GSK IMPACT Awards Development Network with free meetings and events. The overall winner, Suffolk Carers, as the lead receives a bonus £10,000 to use in its work supporting unpaid carers of all ages across Suffolk. The other awardees are: The Children’s Sleep Charity,East Surrey Domestic Abuse Services,Grassroots Suicide Prevention, Healthy Minds, Off the Record Youth Counselling Croydon, Positive Life, Rape Crisis South London, Refugee and Migrant Centre Black Country and Birmingham, and Support in Mind Scotland. Nine runner-ups received a £3,000 donation. Congratulations to all!

Yorkshire & Humber AHSN (Academic Health Science Network) announced their first-ever digital health accelerator, Propel@ YH, at the ‘Transforming Lives Through Innovation’ Annual Conference 9 May in Leeds. It targets building a relevant business case for the NHS. The six finalists are DigiBete, Healthcare Engineering, HeteroGenius, Medicsen, Medicspot and Scaled Insights. The Leeds-based program is in partnership with mHabitat, an NHS-owned specialist and expert in the application of digital to health and care.

And closer to home, Aging 2.0 Atlanta and Kansas City are conducting a free webinar on Driving Senior Engagement with Education & Socialization on 30 May, 11am-12.30pm ET. From their notice, “Social isolation, loneliness, lack of engagement, a shrinking world and a diminished sense of purpose are all issues effecting (sic) seniors today.” Presenters are Lynne Beachner of Senior Learning Network and Amber Carroll of COVIA Well Connected.  More information here. Registration direct link. 

News roundup: CES’ early beat, CVS-Aetna pauses, digital health fizzes, Yorkshire & Humber Propels

January 10, 2019 | by

The start of January can be a slow–or busy–time. There are, of course, the avalanche of announcements made at JPM and just starting CES, which has become a part-healthcare show with hundreds of health-related exhibitors. At this point, this Editor confesses that there is not much that has caught her attention or that she–and Readers–haven’t heard about before, but the bulk of the coverage will come out next week. A lot of what is on the floor are still gadgets–and they come and mostly go. In better news, there was a Hospital at Home panel kicking off the 10th year of the Digital Health Summit on till Friday which illustrates their maturing into issues such as AI, workplace wellness, and aging. All this may be moving forward and coming a lot closer to reality than say, in 2017. But Jake, it’s CES–this year, if it folds, rolls, is retro, has a healthcare spin, and 5G, it’s on trend at CES.

CVS-Aetna grinds to halt. The partial government shutdown has affected the DOJ’s filings with DC Federal Court Judge Richard Leon on the consent decree from October. Judge Leon is reviewing the decree under the Tunney Act requirement that the merger meet the public interest. It turns out that the DOJ cannot supply documents as the Antitrust Division was furloughed–non-essential . This means little for the actual merger as it has already happened, but it slows down a fair amount of functional integration. Prediction: DOJ will not move forward with this until at least one month after the shutdown ends–our bet is April, with the cherry blossoms. Seeking Alpha

Fizzy, not bubbly. That’s Rock Health’s verdict on This Year In Digital Health Funding. No Bubble Here! While Rock only takes a piece of the picture (US only deals, over $2 million), it came in at $8.1 billion–a full $2.3 bn or 42 percent–over 2017, as projected in Q3 [TTA 11 Oct]. The deals continue to be bigger and fewer–368 versus 359 for 2017, which is barely a rounding error. More on this next week.

Propel@YH debuts. Returning to the UK, Yorkshire and Humber’s Academic Health Science Network’s (AHSN) first digital health accelerator program will be providing guidance and support services for pioneering developers with innovative digital and patient solutions. Eligible organizations will have either an existing presence in the region or are willing to establish one. Six organizations will be chosen to take part in a six-month program focused on human-related design, clinical safety by design and understanding NHS procurement. Announcement and AHSN website.